Air regulated movable platform



Filed June 4, 1957 FIG. 1

J. A. WEIDENHAMMER AIR REGULATED MOVABLE PLATFORM ZSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JAMES A. WEIDENHAMMER ATTORNEY Oct 1959 J. A. WEIDENHAMMER AIR REGULATED MOVABLE PLATFORM Filed June 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2a

- FIG. 2b

74s 28 736 738 740 b 2 2a 756 United States Patent to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application June 4, i957, Serial No. 663,523

2 Claims. (01. 271- 'ss This invention relates to a movable load platform for a document receiver ahd more particularly to one which is regulated by an air cylinder.

The usual sorter stacker pockets have movable platforms forming the bottom of the pocket. These platforrns usually are sup orted on graduated springs whereby the platform lowers progressively as documents are stacked thereon. The springs are graduated 'on the basis of the welght of the documents so as to maintain the top document on the platform at a predetermined level. Even with documents having identical dimensions originally, the predetermined level is not maintained after the cards are used because the cards become wrinkled and therefore occupy more space and thus raise the top level. lf the cards absorb moisture they are heavier and tend to lower the platform "more than the graduated amount.

a In accordance with the foregoing observations, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved document support in which the top document on a platform is maintained at a desired elevation independently of the size, thickness, Weight or condition of the documents. l 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a document support wherein the level of the platform is controlled by the level of the top document.

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable platform the level of which is controlled by an air cylinder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a movable platform the level of which is controlled by an air cylinder and the air supply is controlled by a lever actuated by the platform or the top document on the platform.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a stacker pocket.

Figs. 2a2e are sections illustrating a valve.

The subject document stacker platform and the air servo control therefor, are shown and described in patent application Serial No. 631,925, filed December 31, 1956, on behalf of the instant applicant and others. Figs. 1 and 2a-2e correspond to Figs. 22 and 24a-24e respectively of the above cited application and corresponding reference numbers are used there and herein.

Only as much of the machine as is necessary to the understanding of the air servo device is shown and described herein. Reference may be made to the cited application for additional details.

As checks are fed into a pocket 36 in the manner described in the above cited application, it is desirable that the checks remain in the order in which they enter the pocket. Therefore, it is desirable to assure that a fol- 2 lowing check does not enter underneath a preceding check as it is fed into the pocket. In order to insure this action, the platform 692, Fig. 1, is maintained in close relation to the members 690a and 695. To this end a lever 710 is positioned'to be actuated by a check entering between thelever 710 and the platform 692 or between the lever 71'0 and'the uppermost check C on the platform. When the lever 710 is raised by one or more checks entering the pocket, the servo-mechanism is actuated to lower the platform an amount. corresponding to the thickness of 'the entering checks. When the checks are removed from the platform 692, the lever 710 is permitted to drop, thereby actuating the servomechanism to raise the platform 692 to a position in contact with the lever 710 wherein the lever 710 assumes the position of Fig. 2b. A shaft 712, supporting the platform 692, mounts a piston 714 mounted in a cylinder 716. A spring 718 is mounted on the shaft 712 to cushion the platform 692 in its lowest or full pocket position. A spring 720 is mounted on the shaft 712 to bias the piston 714 downwardly. A port 722 is provided in the bottom of the cylinder 716 connected with an air hose 724. The air hose 724 leads to a valve generally designated 726. An air hose 728 leads from the valve 726 to a tube 730 connected to any suitable air pressure supply '(not shown). Referring to Figs. 2a through 2e, the valve 726 is mounted by a bolt 732 on a bracket 7 34 suitably mounted on the frame of the machine. The valve 726 comprises a stationary cylindrical member 736 having a reduced hub portion 738 loosely mounting a sleeve 740. The sleeve 740 is held in position by a washer 742 and a screw 744. The sleeve 740 mounts the lever 710 by snapping a looped end of the lever 710 into 'a groove 746, Fig. 20. A "turned over end 710a engages a hole 740a in the sleeve 740. A pairof radially. extending nipples 748 and 750 connect respectively with holes 752 and 754 extending lengthwise of the cylinder 736 to a point midway on the turned down hub portion 738 where the holes 752 and 754 turn at right angles and extend radially to the outer surface of the turned down hub portion. The hose 728 connects the air supply tube 730 with the nipple 748 whereas the hose 724 connects the port 722 of the cylinder 716 with the nipple 750. A cavity 756 formed on the inner surface of the sleeve 740 in alignment with the holes 752 and 754 is adapted, in one position of the sleeve 740, Fig. 2b, to cover the hole 752; in another position of the sleeve 740, Fig. 2d, to be out of alignment with both holes 752 and 754; and in a third position of the sleeve 74%, Fig. 2e, to connect the holes 752 and 754. An exhaust port 758 is drilled in the sleeve 740 and is adapted, in one position of the sleeve 740, Fig. 2d, to be in alignment with the hole 754 and to connect the hole 754 with the atmosphere. In the other positions of the sleeve 740, Figs. 2b and 2e, port 758 is out of alignment with the hole 754. In operation of the servornechanism, the lever 716 is normally in contact either with the platform 692 or with the uppermost check on the platform, as illustrated in Fig. 1. When additional checks are fed under the lever 710, the lever 710 is rotated in a clockwise direction, to the dotted position 710a, Fig. 1, moving the sleeve 740 to the position of Fig. 2d in which position the exhaust port 758 connects with the hole 754 thereby exhausting air from the cylinder 716 through the port 722, the hose 724, the nipple 750, the hole 754 and the exhaust port 758 to the atmosphere. Exhausting air from the cylinder 716 permits the spring 720 to lower the piston 714 thereby lowering the platform 692 and causing the lever 710 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction until the exhaust port 758 is no longer in registration with the hole 754. Assuming there are checks in the stacker the holes 752 and 754 thus supplying air from the tube 730 through the hose 728, the nipple'748, the hole 752 through the cavity 756 into the hole 754, through the nipple 750, the hose 724 and the port 722 into the cylinder 7115 thereby raising the'piston 714 and the platform 692 against the action of the spring 720. The upward movement of the piston 714 and the platform 692 will continue until the platform 692 engages the lever 710 moving it upwardly whereby the sleeve 740 is rotated to the position of Fig. 2b, at which time the supply of air from the hole 754 through'the cavity 756 to the hole 752 is cut off. This latter position is the normal position of the valve 726. Referring to Fig. 1, a raised position of the platform 692 with several checks thereon is illustrated. In dotted outline, two additional positions of the platform 692 are illustrated. When the platform is lowered to the middle position by the feeding of checks into the pocket, the platform engages a lever 760 fixed to a rod 762 which is pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine. The rod 762' also carries a mercury type switch 764 which is adapted to close electrical contacts when moved to the dotted position 764a when the lever 760 is moved to the dotted position 760a by the platform in the lowermost illustrated position. The rod 762 and the associated lever 760 and switch 764 are normally maintained in the full line position by a spring 766. Eleven of the thirteen pockets 36 described in the above cited application have a lever 760, all of which are commonly mounted on the rod 762. The switch 764 when operated, signals that one of the eleven pockets is filled to capacity.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A document receptacle comprising, in combination, a hopper having sidewalls, a movable platform, means for stacking documents on said platform, a cylinder, a fluid operated piston within said cylinder mounting said platform for vertical movement, a first spring for biasing said piston in one direction, a second spring for cushioning said platform in a lowered position,'a supply of said fluid under pressure for moving said piston in an opposite direction, a three-position valve operable in a first position for admitting said fluid to said cylinder, operable in a second position for exhausting said fluid from said cylinder and operable in a third position for maintaining said fluid in said cylinder and a lever operable by an upper surface formed by said platform or by the uppermost document thereon for operating said valve whereby said upper surface is maintained at a predetermined level.

2. The device of claimv 1 wherein said valve comprises a member having an input port, an output port, an atmosphere port, a connection between said fluid supply and said input port, a connection between said output port and said cylinder, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said member and having a cavity movable to a first position to connect said input port with said output port, movable to a second position to connect said output port with said atmosphere port and movable to a third position out of alignment with all said ports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

